3 players we are shocked the Blue Jays didn't move at the 2026 trade deadline

The 2026 MLB Trade Deadline has officially passed, and it was an eventful few days around the league. The Toronto Blue Jays were busy as sellers, as they traded former key players like Daulton Varsho, Kevin Gausman, and Jeff Hoffman. While the Blue Jays ended up trading away several of their players, as expected, a few of their big-time trade candidates leading up to the deadline surprisingly stayed put.

Shane Bieber

Shane Bieber was one of baseball's most notable trade candidates leading up to the trade deadline. With the former AL Cy Young Award winner being a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and the Blue Jays on the wrong side of the playoff line, there was a real expectation that he would get traded. However, the 6-foot-3 righty will instead finish the 2026 season as a member of the Blue Jays.

Bieber would have had the potential to be a very strong addition to a contender's roster. While he has had mixed results since returning from injury (5.11 ERA in eight games), his outstanding resume shows that he undoubtedly has the potential to heat back up. If he finishes the season strong with the Blue Jays, it would not necessarily be surprising if they tried to sign him to a contract extension.

George Springer

George Springer is another Blue Jays pending UFA who many thought would get traded by the deadline. The 36-year-old's past playoff success could have made him a very valuable addition for a contender, and he was linked to several teams ahead of the deadline because of it. However, he made it through the deadline without being moved.

Springer will now be looking to end the season on a high note with the Blue Jays. In 82 games this season with Toronto, the 13-year veteran has recorded 12 home runs, 36 RBI, and a .239 batting average. He has also been notably heating up since July. In 19 games, Springer has slashed .297/.358/.527 with four home runs, 15 RBIs and only 11 strikeouts with a 148 wRC+.

Max Scherzer

Max Scherzer was another Blue Jays' player who was the subject of trade speculation leading up to the deadline. It seemed possible that some playoff teams would have expressed interest in the 42-year-old leading up to the deadline due to his remarkable resume and past dominance. However, a deal did not come to fruition centering around the two-time World Series champ.

Yet, with Scherzer staying put, he will be looking to end the year on a high note after dealing with a lot of injury trouble this season. The veteran starter was very good in his most recent start, as he struck out five and allowed just four hits and one earned run in six innings pitched.

Blue Jays still got plenty of work done at the deadline

All told, while the Blue Jays may not be in a position to realistically make a shot at the postseason in 2026 (though their playoff odds aren't yet at zero), one of the optimistic view points after the deadline is the fact that they got a major head start on their offseason to-do list. They completely bolstered their rotation and when you factor in the guys that they could get back who are currently on the injured list, the Blue Jays rotation is already shaping up to be a strength.

They'll need to focus on revamping the offense, but they have at least given themselves some room to work with considering pitching should be less of a concern once the season comes to an end.

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